Acapulco Tacos & BurritosThese brightly painted stands sell quick, tasty Mexican standards for cheap. The burritos come wrapped in a delightfully moist and tender tortilla and are quite satisfying for the price (some are just $1.75). In fact, the most expensive dinner plate you can buy here comes in at just under $5 and features seven items. Beware: Acapulco is takeout only, and you’ll probably end up eating everything you bought before you make it back home. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)

Ali BabaAli Baba Food Mart shares a fragrant parking lot with a smoke shop and the Red Rock Deli, on Lomas near Tramway. Like many Middle Eastern eateries in town, the interior is half dining room and half grocery store, with freezers full of halal meat and the shelves stocking a mix of western-style junk food and Old World imports. The dining section is lined with carpets, and there is a hookah lounge at the far end. It had the unkempt feel of a boy’s club. The menu is short, and many of the items weren’t available when we visited. But they had falafel, and it was among the best we’ve tried, anywhere. (Alibi Staff, February 6, 2015)

Annie’s Soup KitchenAnnie’s is the kind of place we like to take grandpa for an eye-opening brekky or early lunch. There’s always a variety of good soup, from French onion to potato and leek, and hearty sandwiches. If breakfast is what you’re after, grab the blackberry blintzes or a pile of homefries with eggs and green chile sauce. Sure, you’ll see little old ladies slurping away, but the food is tasty enough to make up for the old-fashioned feel. Closed Sunday and Monday. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)

Arirang Oriental MarketAh, the joys of a good bowl of kimchi and rice. Arirang Oriental Market offers exotic groceries, dishes and cool collectibles. The compact lunch counter is also a fine stop for a tasty Korean lunch. Try the barbecued beef, pork or squid, or the seafood pancakes, and then wash it all down with a cup of hot barley tea. Breath mints not included. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)

Azuma Sushi & TeppanSure, from the outside Azuma still looks like a Black-eyed Pea, but inside every trace of country kitsch has been erased and replaced by a serene Japanese theme.Half of Azuma is devoted to teppan tables where patrons can sit and watch as a cook prepares their dinners with a few flashy tricks. On the other side of the restaurant, booths are separated by pretty panes of frosted glass, and a line of stools hug the sushi bar. In addition to sushi, Azuma's menu offers many cooked items including noodles and a variety of grilled meats and vegetables that will ensure the place's appeal to nearby families and folks who are new to Japanese food. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)

Basil LeafThe pho is fragrant, the coffee is strong and sweet, and ordinary dishes are interesting because you want to know how this kitchen is going to finish it. Spring rolls are a level above others, well-rolled and multi-textured. This place has one of the crispiest papaya salads in town; the salad topped with two flavors of beef jerky is especially out of hand. A steamed tilapia dish yields white, flaky fish bathed in a dark, black peppery sauce and is flanked with broccoli and carrots. Nice looking desserts, wine and saki. (Alibi Staff, August 23, 2011)

Best Lee’sA smattering of Chinese dishes that deserve to be called “authentic” is just one reason why Best Lee’s is worth a visit. The food is prepared and presented artistically. The atmosphere encourages the unexpected—visitors are often greeted by a bespectacled man who introduces himself as “Chinese Uncle” and returns to your table to make sure things are going well. And while the menu is mostly a mix of standard Americanized Chinese food (General Tso’s chicken, crab Rangoon) and pan-Asian cuisine, especially Thai food, there are some gems on the menu that you probably haven’t seen before. A bowl of Thai-style spicy red curry soup—rich with coconut milk and packed with vegetables, fresh basil and crispy tofu—is good enough to be served at a top-tier Thai restaurant.

Blake’s LotaburgerA New Mexico tradition since 1952! For an award-winning (for both Best Burger and Best French Fries), quick burger or chili dog, fresh fries and fountain favorites that hit the spot for just a pocketful of change, it’s got to be Blake’s. Countless counters are scattered throughout the city, and each one is a model of efficiency and cleanliness. Why look any further? They’re easy to spot from afar—just keep an eye out for the giant Asian Uncle Sam sign. Even comes with a drive through. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)

Blake’s LotaburgerA New Mexico tradition since 1952! For an award-winning (for both Best Burger and Best French Fries), quick burger or chili dog, fresh fries and fountain favorites that hit the spot for just a pocketful of change, it’s got to be Blake’s. Countless counters are scattered throughout the city, and each one is a model of efficiency and cleanliness. Why look any further? They’re easy to spot from afar—just keep an eye out for the giant Asian Uncle Sam sign. Even comes with a drive through. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)

Blake’s LotaburgerA New Mexico tradition since 1952! For an award-winning (for both Best Burger and Best French Fries), quick burger or chili dog, fresh fries and fountain favorites that hit the spot for just a pocketful of change, it’s got to be Blake’s. Countless counters are scattered throughout the city, and each one is a model of efficiency and cleanliness. Why look any further? They’re easy to spot from afar—just keep an eye out for the giant Asian Uncle Sam sign. Even comes with a drive through. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)

Bob's BurgersHome of the ranchero burger and a screamin’ $2 Frito pie (which usually takes top honors in our restaurant polls), these burgers are similar to their Lotaburger or Its-a-Burger cousins, except they have loads of green or red chile on them. And Bob's offers "taco burgers"—burgers in taco shells instead of buns. Bob is quite the creative entrepreneur; it shows on the chile-stained faces of his fanatic followers. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)

Budai Gourmet ChineseThis small Taiwanese-owned eatery is full of surprises. The regular menu is a long and interesting read, full of familiar and unusual Taiwanese and Chinese dishes (tea-smoked duck, steamed fish with ginger and scallions, dim sum). If you ask questions about the food, you might get a history lesson from Elsa Fang, who handles the front of the restaurant while her husband, Hsia, does the cooking. And if you ask her to, she will translate the secret menu from Chinese—and talk you into addictive salt-and-pepper short ribs with Chinese beer and succulent three-cup chicken. The seasonal vegetables and other vegetarian offerings are strong here, too. Try the goji berry soup with pollock and pickled mustard greens in a soothing, slightly sour broth. (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)

The Burrito LadyIf you overlook the Styrofoam plates, The Burrito Lady’s Santa Rosa-style cooking is about as homemade as it gets. There are fresh grilled tacos, tamales year-round, stacked enchiladas and, of course, the burritos—about 20 different varieties, served plain, smothered in chile and cheese, or with fluffy Spanish rice and refried beans. Both the red and green chile are delicious, so go ahead and order Christmas. Cash only! (Alibi Staff, August 11, 2010)